Vehicle-top



w. 1. ELSOM.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.5, 1914.

1,313,076. I Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Z O WM f FM WITNESSES: 12 11 INVENTOR v BY g a W m ATTORNEYS THE COLUMBIA PLANQGRRPH u WASHINGTON, v. v.

mobile body provided with this top showing UNITED ATE f T-ENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. ELSOM, on con'rnnnn, NEW YORK, AssIGnoR T0 oonTLANnronGINe COMPANY, or CORTLAND, NEW YonK; QOBPQRATIONQF Nnw vonK.

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Specification bf Letters hat. Patented Angi iz, 1919.

Application filed December 5,1914; Serial No. 675,674.

To all whom it may concern: 1 v e Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. ELsoM, a citizen of the United- States, and a resident of Cortland,in the county o-f'Cortl'and and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Vehicle-Top, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to carriage or vehi- V cle covers or tops, and has for its object a particularly simple and 'efli'cient arran 'ement of the bows and links or levers where y the movement of the front and intermediate bows is uniform and means for locking one of the bows to the'mainbow saidlocking means being operable bythe pivotalmovement of thebows. Other obj ects' will appear throughout the specification, The invention consists inthe novel combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describingthis invention, reference is had to. the accompanylng drawings, 1n

which like character designate corresponding parts in all the views. Figure 1 is a side elevation of an autothe-topfas unfolded or up, the covering or fabric being shown in section.

a. o, .e

I Fig; 2' ea slmilar vlewshowing the position of the bows and the locking means when the top is folded, the covering being removed Fig; 3 is an enlarged view of thebows illustrating the operation of the lock.

This vehicle or automobile top comprises generally a pivoted main bow, a rear'bow, an

outrigger supported by the main bow and comprising a'pivote'd bow, a link 'connlectj ing the pivoted bow and the main bow, the pivoted bow having a catch projecting therefrom and arranged at an angle thereto, the catch being located at the pivot of said bow, and the main bow being provided with a stud near its pivot with which the catch coacts when the outrigger is collapsed, the catch being movable into and out of engagement with the stud by a pivotal movement of the pivoted outrigger bow.

1 is the main bow which is pivoted at each end at 2 to the body of a vehicle in the usual manner.

4: is the rear bow, 5 is an intermediate rear bow carried by the rear bow 4. 6 is the front bow, 7 the link which is arranged on the side of the top, there being one link on each side; each link being pivoted at its rear end at Sto one side of the main bow and at its front side at 9 tothe rear end of one side of the front bow 6. a

10 is a latch located at'the rear end of eachside of the front'bow 6 and being prefangle thereto," said latch being here shown as-hook; shaped and extending in a sub- -stantially' vertical plane. Said Iatch extends upwardly when the top is unfolded, and rearwardly and' downwardly when the top: iscollapsed, and isformed with a rear- =wardly extending A slotll open at its rear 'its'rear endtothe'inain bow 1 above the link 7 and at its other end :to the front in front ofthe pivotfl, this brace being connected" to one of the parts it connects,

as the main bow 1 ,*by a pin and-slot"15. The pinand-slot- 15- permits sufficient pivotal movement of the front bow 6"on itspilvot 9 relatively to the'main' bowrtoengage and disengage the latch 10, and the stud 12."

The top also includes an intermediate bow 16 between the main bow and the front bow, the intermediate bow'being pivoted ;at each side atl'? to the'b'r'ace 14: between the ends thereof, and having an arm 18 projecting beyond its pivot, which-armis connected to the link 7 by link 19. In orderthat the top fwillffact most eat-canny, there are a li'nk7, latch 10, stud 12, brace 14 and link 19 on each side thereof.

Owing to the manner in which the intermediate bow 16 is mounted, the pivotal mo-' tion of the bow 6 is transmitted to the bow 16. The bows 6, 16, links 7 and braces 14:

constitute what might be called an outrigger, which outrigger is provided with a catch movable out of interlocking engagement with the main bow 1 during the initial part of the opening movement of the outrigger and into engagement therewith during latter part of the closing movement.

When the top is collapsed or down, the catch holds the front and intermediate bows from rattling or movement relatively to the main bow, and also, owing to the pin erablyrigid therewith andsarra'nged at an and slot connection, permits suflicient opening movement of the front and intermediate bows relatively to the main bow to allow any of the fabric that may bulge'out to be tucked in between said bows.

W hat I claim is 1. A vehicle top comprising a pivoted main bow, an outrigger comprising a bow,

and a linkpivoted to the main bow and to extreme folded position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth;

2. A vehicle top comprising a mam bow pivoted at its ends, an outrigger comprising a front bow and a link pivoted to the main bow and to one side of the front bow, a brace pivoted to the main bow above the link and to the front bow in front of the pivot thereof, the brace being connected to one of the parts it connects by a pin-andslot connection, a hook shaped latch rigid with the front bow and arrangedat an angle thereto, and a stud projecting laterally from the main bownear thepivot thereof in position to be engaged by the latch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

.3. A vehicle top comprising a main bow pivoted at its ends,an outrigger comprising a front how, a link pivoted to the main bow and to oneside of the front'bow, and a brace pivoted to the main bow above the link and to the front bow in front of the pivot thereof, the brace being pivoted to the mainlbow by a pin-and-slot connection, a hook shaped latch rigid with the main'bow and arranged at an angle thereto at thepivot of the front bow, and a stud projecting laterally from V thereof, means connecting the rear end or the intermediate bow and the link, a hook shaped catch rigid w ththe front bow and the main bow and arranged to enter the hook of the latch, substantially as and for the'purpose' described.

4. A vehicle top comprising ainain how, a front how, a link pivoted at one end to one side of the front bow and at its other end to 1 the main how, a brace pivoted to the main bow above thelink and to the front'bow in front of they pivot thereof, an intermediate bow pivoted at one side to the brace, means for transmitting the motion of the front bow to theintermediate bow, and a latch carried by the front bow and coacting with means of the main bow for positively locking the pivoted at its ends, an outrigger comprising a front bow, alink pivoted to eachside of the main bow and to eachside of the front bow, a brace pivoted to the main bow above the link and, to the front bow in front of the. pivot thereof, the brace being connected to one 'ofthe parts it connects bya p n-and-slot, an ,intermedlate bow. pivoted ateach side of the brace between, the ends .2

arranged at an. angle thereto, the catch being located at .theaXis ofthefrontbow and extending in a vertical, plane, and a laterally extending stud provided on the main bow in position to interlock with thecatch, substantially asand for the purpose described.

In testimonywvhereof, I have, hereunto signed my name in the presence of two at testing witnesses, at Cortland, in the county of Cortland, and Stateof NewYork, this 13th day of November, 1914:. p

WILLIAMJ. ELSOM. Witnesses; j

i D. L. FAIRBANKS,

F. M. Tironnivnn.

"Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 03 r 

